Flush tank



May 25, 1943. v. A; HOFFMANN 2,320,132

FLUSH TANK Filed July 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 A ORNEY.

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Patented May 25, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSH TANK Victor A. HoifmanmHarvey, Ill. Application July 15, 1940, Serial No. 345,483

claims. This invention relates to an improved flushtank which is especially adapted to be concealed within a conventional partition. The improved tank of this invention is adapted to be used in conjunction with various conventional or special type toilet bowls, in

may be on either or both sides thereof.

One of the principal objects of importance and advantage of the improved tank of this invention resides in the provision of means for producing single or plural installations. Moreover, the adjustment opening in the tank Another and still further important object of advantage and importance resides in the provision of means for .utilizingan ejector unit to evacuate air from the upper portion of a siphon, thus starting siphonic action, as the water in the tank reaches a predetermined level. The ejector unit may be employed to evacuate air from the discharge siphon.

Still another object of advantage and importance is the provision of means for utilizing incoming water to operate the ejector unit.

. A still further object of advantage and importance resides in the provision of means for automatically closing and sealing all vent passageways leading to the ejector unit excepting the vent from the top of the siphon when the water in the tank reaches a predetermined level. Additionally, the water supply to the upper end of the ejector is constant. The main discharge of the intake line being in effect an overflow passageway. I

Another object of advantage and importance is the provision of means for regulating the volume of water in the tank. had through the discharge siphon, or a telescoped overflow pipe, or fully submerged displacement members.

A further object of advantage and importance resides in the provision of means for refilling a toilet bowl after theflushing discharge stops.

' Additional objects of importance and advanta ge will becomeapparent as the following detailed description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a flush tank, parts thereof being broken away, which embodies the invention.

Fig. 2 is a. vertical section taken on line Ill-Ill of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction indicated by the Such adjustment may be Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a still further modification of the invention, parts thereof being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line I2I 2 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the body Illa is quite similar to the body shown in a companion application Serial No. 446,695. An intake pipe I8 extends into the body Illa. A relief passageway I6 is provided at the top of the body Illa. And a discharge chamber 20 including a center wall 2| which forms a trap is similar to the above referred to construction.

Positioned within the body Illa and extending through the floor thereof into the discharge chamber 20 is an adjustable discharge siphon 26a. Operably positioned on the short leg of the siphon :Zlia is a vertically movable extension member 28a. Theextension member 28a may be moved upwardly or downwardly to control the volume of water passing through the siphon during a flushing operation.

Extending from the discharge chamber 20 upwardly through the floor of the body llla. is an adjustable overflow pipe 30a. The upper portion The upper portion of the overbe extended or retracted by a or the like. Suitable gradua- 34a may be employed where it is so .secured to the upwardly extending portion of the fitting 38a is a downwardly extending pipe 46a. The upper end of thepipe 40a is preferably vented.

Projecting downwardly from the aperture in the fitting 38a is an.ejector 42a. The ejector 42a is provided with tially the same in all embodiments. V

Positioned in the pipe receiving aperture 44a charge of a siphon of the ejector 42a and extending to the interior of the siphon 26a is a pipe 46a. The pipe 46a provides a passageway for the passage of air from the upper end of the siphon into the ejector 42a.

Positioned in the upper portion of the discharge chamber 20 is a sealing cup 48a. The upper brim of the sealing cup extends to a point above the level of the discharge end of the siphon 26a, as is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Positioned on the sealing cup 48a, and having its intake end located on the interior thereof and its discharge end projecting downwardly on the exterior of the cup, as is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is a siphon 50a. The lower surface of the interior of the siphon at the bend is substantially on a level with the discharge end of the siphon 26a.

The above disclosed device is adapted to be employed in conjunction with a delayed action automatic valve. The flushing operation of the device is as follows:

The body Illa is preferably partly filled with water. The automatic valve, not shown, is opened to allow water to flow into the intake pipe l8 and thence into the pipe 38a. The water in the pipe 38a, is discharged through both the ejector 42a; which. is the favored outlet, and the pipe ita. The level of the water within the body rises to a point where it may overflow into the sealing cup 48a. This overflow from the body into the cup may be through the adjustable overflow pipe 33a or through the siphon 26a. The time of the overflow is, of course, determined. by the adjustment of the pipe 30a. Either the pipe 30a or the adjustment portion of the siphon 26a may be eliminated if desired.

As the water from the body rises in the sealing cup 48a it seals the discharge end of the siphon 26a. Air within the siphon is then withdrawn through the upper end thereof by action of the ejector 42a. The siphon is thus actuated and the Water drawn from the body Illaand discharged into the sealing cup 48d from whence it overflows into the discharge chamber 20.

Siphonic action is stopped when the water level reaches the intake end of the siphon 26a. The

water in the sealing cup 48a is then withdrawn. The water in the cup drawn by means of the siphon 50a. This water is quickly withdrawn from the sealing cup to prevent reactivation of the siphon. Such noise as occurs in the operation of the siphon is prevented from passing downwardly through the discharge chamber 20 and the outlets 22 and 24 by the trap in the bottom of the discharge chamber.

It is to be noted that in the valveless siphon discharge tanks which are supplied by a delayed action automatic valve the refilling of the tank I continues after the flushing operation has ceased. It has been found advisable to have the water level raised slightly with each succeeding fill. This insures a practically full tank at the beginning of each flushing operation. In the event there is a slight overflow the water passes into the discharge chamber from whence it is used to refill or pass into the bowl.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that herein is provided an efficient and practically foolproof means for facilitating the quick disflush tank.

It will be further apparent from the that herein is provided an 'efircient, sturdy,

foregoing and.

practically indestructible improved construction 48a is preferably with- I which may be used in conjunction with automatic delayed action valves.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the improved device appertains that numerous changes and alterations in construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, the patent granted hereon is not to be limited to the preferred embodiment here shown nor in any other manner except as is necessitated by the terminology of the appended claims when given the range of equivalents to which they may be entitled.

I claim as my invention:

1-. In a flush tank, a supply pipe extending into said tank, said supply pipe having a horizontal portion positioned above the normal water level of the tank, a discharge passageway extending from the bottom of said horizontal portion, an overflow passageway positioned at a point above said discharge passageway, said discharge passageway being restricted and then expanded below said horizontal pipe, a discharge siphon positioned within said tank, the intake end of said siphon being positioned closely adjacent the interior surface of the floor of said tank, the outlet end of said siphon being positioned exterior-1y of said tank, means for sealing both intake and outlet ends of said siphon against the passage of air therethrough, a siphon vent passageway extending from the siphon to a point immediately below he restricted portion of the discharge passageway, said siphon vent passageway and said discharge passageway providing ejector means for expelling air trapped between the sealed ends of said siphon.

2. In a flush tank, a supply pipe extending. into said flush tank, a discharge pipe having a restricted portion operably attached to said supply pipe, an overflow opening in said supply pipe, said overflow opening being on a plane above the point at which the discharge pipe is connected to said supply pipe, said discharge pipe and said overflow pipe being positioned to discharge within said tank, a-siphon positioned within said tank, cup means for sealing the discharge end of said siphon prior to each flushing operation, a passageway extending from said siphon to said discharge pipe, said passageway and said discharge pipe providing in operation means: for extracting air from said siphon and discharging it into said tank, said extracting means being operated by water received from said supply pipe.

3'. In aflush tank, a body, a supply pipe extending into said body, said supply pipe having a horizontal portion positioned above the normal water level of said body, displacement means for regulating the volumeof water within said tank, a siphon operably positioned withinsaid body, cup means positioned exteriorly' of said body for sealing the discharge end of the siphon against the backward passage of air therethrough, a discharge pipe extending downwardly from said horizontal supply pip'e,;anoverflow opening in saidsupply'pipe; said opening being positioned beyond and above the point at which said discharge pipe is attached-to the supply pipe, and ejector means for expelling air from said siphon prior to each flushing operation, said ejector means comprising apassageway extending from said siphon to said discharge pipe;

i. Ina flush tank, a closed body having a-vent passageway adapted to' be extended to a remote location, a supply pipe extending into said-body, a portion of said supply pipe being positioned wardly of said body, means for sealing the discharge end of said siphon when a predetermined volume of water is within said body, and means water level therein to produce siphonic action.

5. In a flush tank, a' body, a supply pipe extending into said body, a discharge opening in the bottom surface of a horizontal portion of said pipe, an overflow and vent opening in said pipe above the planeof the discharge opening to provide a source of constant gravity fed water to the discharge opemng during a flushing operation regardless of fluctuations of the pressure in the supply pipe, an ejector tube operably connected to the discharge opening, said ejector tube having a restricted cross sectional area at its upper end, and an intake opening in said ejector tube below the restricted portion thereof.

6. In a flush tank, a body, a supply pipe eX- tending into said body, a plurality of displacement members for controlling the volume of water within said tank, a siphon positioned Within said tank, the discharge end of said siphon being located outside said body, a cup in association with the discharge end of said siphon, said cup providing means for sealing the end of the siphon against the backward passage of air therethrough, and ejector means for expelling air from said siphon.

7. In a flush tank, a supply pipe having a horizontal portion, an overflow opening in said supply pipe, said overflow opening being positioned above the plane of a portion of the horizontal pipe, said overflow opening providing a means for relieving pressure in the lower portion of the horizontal pipe, a discharge opening in the lower portion of the horizontal pipe, and an ejector tube operably associated with said discharge opening and projecting downwardly therefrom.

8. In a flush tank, a body having a substantially vertical front wall, an inspection and adjustment opening in said front wall closely adjacent the top thereof, said opening being positioned above the normal water lever to allow inspection and adjustment while the device is in opextended to a remote location, a supply pipe extending into said body, a siphon discharge pipe extending from said body, a cup member in association with the outlet end of said siphon discharge pipe providing means for sealing said end prior to the operation of said siphon, and siphon means for removing the sealing medium from said cup immediately following the termination of the flow of Water through the siphon dis charge pipe.

9. In a flush tank, a vented body, means for extending the vent to a remote location, a supply pipe leading into said body, a siphon discharge pipe extending from said body, a cup member in association with the outlet end of said siphon discharge pipe providing means for siphon means for removing the and means for 10. In a flush tank, a body having an upper and a lower compartment, said upper compartment having an inspection and adjustment opening in the front surface and above the normal 0 charge siphon has ceased.

VICTOR A. HOFFMANN. 

